JP7302004B2 - Method and apparatus for introducing cable into conduit - Google Patents

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/836,795, filed April 22, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. .

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for introducing telecommunication cables into conduits normally located underground. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for introducing internal ducts simultaneously with cables.

Laying cables in underground telecommunications conduits that extend thousands of feet has long been a challenge. Such challenges are particularly acute when it is desired to place one or more additional cables into a conduit that already has cables therein. The existing cable, especially because of its plastic jacket, gives the new cable considerable friction when it is inserted into the conduit. As a result, new or existing cables may be damaged during the installation process. Such is particularly the case when the cable within the conduit is undulating, forcing the cable being introduced to follow a curved, friction-laden path.

A very successful solution to this problem is the WESCO Distribution, Inc. and sold under the trademark MAXCELL(R) by Co., Ltd. and shown in U.S. Pat. , incorporated by reference. The fabric internal duct is initially positioned within the conduit and divides the conduit into longitudinally extending compartments. A cable can then be positioned in one of the compartments, and a pulling tape or rope can be positioned in one or more compartments to later pull additional cables into the compartment. can be used for Since there is fabric between the cables, the friction is on the fabric and not on the cable jacket, which makes installation easier.

However, the use of this internal duct to install cables within the conduit is currently a two step process. That is, first the inner duct is inserted into the conduit, and then the cable is subsequently inserted into one of the sections of the inner duct. Such is inefficient due to the time and expense spent on each step.

Therefore, a need exists for a system that avoids this two-step process.

It is therefore an object of one aspect of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus in which an internal duct and at least one cable within a section of the internal duct are simultaneously introduced into a conduit.

It is an object of another aspect of the invention to provide a method and apparatus as described above, wherein the internal duct includes other compartments for later introducing one or more additional cables.

It is an object of an additional aspect of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus as described above which can simultaneously introduce into the conduit cable pulling devices positioned in other sections of the internal duct. be.

These and other objects of the present invention, along with the advantages over those provided by the existing prior art, as will become apparent from the discussion hereinafter, are accomplished by the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

In general, a device to be inserted into a longitudinally extending conduit according to the present invention includes at least one longitudinally extending compartment. A longitudinally extending sheet of material is attached to the compartment. The seat has compatible fastening elements carried at its opposite ends. A longitudinally extending cable is positioned between the ends of the sheets and the ends are attached to each other to form an additional compartment carrying the cable.

According to another aspect of the invention, a device for insertion into a longitudinally extending conduit includes at least one longitudinally extending compartment. The sheet of material has interchangeable fastening elements carried as opposite ends. One of the ends of the sheet is attached to the compartment. The longitudinally extending cables are positioned such that they are within the additional compartment when the ends of the sheet of material are attached to form the additional compartment.

A method for introducing a cable into a longitudinally extending conduit according to the present invention comprises the steps of forming at least one longitudinally extending compartment; attaching the ends of the sheets together around the cable to form an additional compartment with the cable therein; and inserting the compartment into the conduit.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of introducing a cable into a longitudinally extending conduit comprises the steps of forming at least one longitudinally extending compartment; connecting the sheets to the compartments; positioning the cables adjacent to the sheets of material; attaching the ends of the sheets of material to form additional compartments with the cables therein; and inserting in.

Without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention may be embodied, preferred and exemplary apparatus according to the concepts of the invention that may be used to perform the methods of the invention are shown in Illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, the invention should be determined by the claims appended hereto and not by the details of the specification.

Fig. 2 is a schematic end view of the device of the present invention during one step of the manufacturing process, before additional compartments are formed; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the device at the end of the manufacturing process showing cables in additional compartments; 4 is a depiction showing the manner in which sheets are used to form additional compartments to accommodate cables;

Preferred mode for carrying out the invention

The device introduced into the conduit is generally designated by the numeral 10 and is shown in its completed state in FIG. Part of that construction can be a conventional internal duct as shown in US Pat. No. 6,262,371. This internal duct thus comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending fabric sections 11 formed by sheets of material 12 stitched together at their open ends at stitches 13 to form sections 11 . Material 12 has a lower coefficient of friction than any cable positioned therein. A pull tape 14 or the like may be positioned within compartment 11 . As is known in the art, if the internal duct is a conduit, the cable can be attached to the pull tape and the cable can be drawn into the conduit.

A material sheet 15, which can be made of a fabric exhibiting low friction, is attached to compartment 11 at one end. The same stitches 13 can be used to make the connections. Interchangeable fasteners 16 , 17 are positioned at opposite ends of sheet 15 . These fasteners 16, 17 can be compatible hook and loop portions of the VELCRO® fastening system, compatible portions of zippers, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, an apparatus (not shown) folds the sheet 15, moves it over the cables 19, and folds the sheet 15 to form an additional compartment 18 with the cables 19 therein. , fastening elements 16 and 17 are attached together. Such things can also be done manually.

The assembled device 10 can then be inserted into an underground conduit. In doing so, two steps of the prior art installation process are combined into one. That is, the cable 19 and the inner duct are inserted at the same time, whereas in the prior art the inner duct was installed first and then the cable entered the section of the inner duct afterwards. Additionally, at the same time that cable 19 is installed into the conduit, pull tape 14 may also be installed into the inner duct section.

It should therefore be apparent that an apparatus constructed as described herein for carrying out the method of the invention achieves the objects of the invention and otherwise significantly improves the art.

Claims (20)

A method of introducing a cable into a longitudinally extending conduit comprising the steps of: forming at least one longitudinally extending compartment; and inserting one end of a longitudinally extending sheet of material into said compartment. connecting; positioning a cable adjacent to the sheet of material; and attaching the ends of the sheet of material to form the additional compartment with the cable in the additional compartment. and inserting said compartment into said conduit. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a tensioning device into the at least one longitudinally extending segment. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of forming includes first attaching an end of a second sheet of material. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of connecting causes one side of the sheet of material to be adjacent to the compartment, and the step of attaching is accomplished by connecting ends of the other side of the sheet of material. the method of. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said attaching step comprises attaching one end of said sheet of material at a location where an end of a second sheet of material of said at least one compartment is already attached. A method of introducing a cable into a longitudinally extending conduit comprising the steps of first forming at least one longitudinally extending compartment; forming an additional compartment with a cable therein by attaching the ends of the sheet of material around the cable; and inserting the compartment into the conduit. and, including, methods. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising inserting a tensioning device into the at least one longitudinally extending compartment. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of forming said at least one longitudinally extending section comprises attaching ends of a second sheet of material. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of connecting a longitudinally extending sheet of material to said compartment is accomplished by attaching one end of said sheet of material to said compartment. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of attaching one end comprises attaching one end of said sheet of material to a location to which said end of said second sheet of material of said at least one compartment is attached. the method of. into a longitudinally extending conduit comprising at least one longitudinally extending compartment and a longitudinally extending sheet of material having one end attached to the outside of said compartment A device to be inserted wherein said sheet of material has compatible fastening elements carried at opposite ends of said sheet of material, thereby locating a longitudinally extending cable between said ends. and capable of attaching said ends to each other to form additional compartments for carrying said cables. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a tensioning device within said at least one longitudinally extending section. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one compartment and said additional compartment are made of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than said cable. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein said material is fabric. The ends of the sheet of material are connected at a point to form the at least one longitudinally extending section, and one end of the sheet of material extends at the point at the at least one longitudinally extending section. 12. A device according to claim 11, attached to an existing compartment. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the compatible fastening elements are hook and loop materials. A device for insertion into a longitudinally extending conduit comprising at least one longitudinally extending section and a sheet of material having one end attached to said section, said A sheet of material faces the compartment on one side and has an interchangeable fastening element carried at opposite ends on the other side, and a longitudinally extending cable abuts the other side of the sheet of material. and wherein said cable is positioned so as to be within said additional compartment when said ends of said sheet of material are attached to form an additional compartment. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a tensioning device within said at least one longitudinally extending section. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said at least one compartment and said additional compartment are made of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than said cable. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein said material is fabric.

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